Village Schools of the Bible

A Devotional Study of Joshua
by Max Frazier, Jr.

VICTORY AT JERICHO
Joshua 6:2-5

We begin our study in Joshua this week with one of the most familiar stories in all of the Bible - the conquest of the city of Jericho.

There is an old spiritual which proclaims that "Joshua fi't the battle of Jericho...and the walls came tumblin' down." You probably sang that song with your high school choir while growing up. I know I did. It was a fun song to sing. But I think there are some things wrong with the premise of that song.

First, I am not sure that Joshua was the one who fought the battle. He was a participant as were his men. But the real combatant was God. This was His fight. And the battle was won not through might or power, but through the Spirit of God. The battle belonged to the Lord.

Let's look at this thought for a moment or two. God had given Joshua some very unusual commands. I am sure that the following thoughts went through the mind of Joshua: Why the marching and not the fighting? Why the silence and not the shouting? Why the waiting? Why use seven days instead of one day?

I am sure that as Israel marched during those days, the people on the walls of Jericho, whose hearts were already filled with fear, might have begun to jeer and to call the Israelites names and may have even thought that Israel was afraid of them.

I am sure that even Israel was unsure as to what to expect. The silence was hard, and yet the success of the mission depended upon their absolute and unquestioned obedience to the plan of God. Perhaps on the first day they handled it with the thought that it was a plan to intimidate those in Jericho; but as the days dragged on, they had to begin to wonder themselves.

How we need to remember that our ways are not God's ways. Our puny plans may not be His almighty plans. I am sure that they asked themselves why Joshua would ask them to take thirteen trips around the city. I believe it took that long for everyone to realize it was utterly impossible for them to conquer Jericho. They finally realized that they could not do it. They came to understand that only God could.

One of the lessons which God has been teaching me is that as long as I think I can handle a problem and do it alone, I miss out on the infinite resources of God. Sometimes God has to take me around a problem thirteen times until I come to recognize that in my own strength, I am not able to conquer it. It is when I come to that realization that I can finally achieve victory.

Well, so much for the song that it was Joshua who fought the battle at Jericho. It was God who was doing the fighting and He accomplished His purposes through the obedience of His people.

Father, so many times we are tempted to attack our Jerichos in our own strength. How we need reminded that we can do all things only through the strength which You give to us. May our wills be obedient to Your will this day, we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

MORE THOUGHTS ON JERICHO
Joshua 6:8-21

Yesterday we began our brief look at this most famous of battles recorded for us in the Bible. We even mentioned that familiar song which states that "Joshua fi't the battle of Jericho, and the walls came tumblin' down." Now, we mentioned that really this song is in error because the battle was not really Joshua's but God's. It really was His plan that Israel was to follow.

The second problem with this familiar song is the phrase "and the walls came tumblin' down." I don't think that the walls tumbled down. I think they fell down flat just like someone pushing down a wall of dominoes. And great was their collapse. With their means of protection removed, the people of Jericho were easily vanquished.

This astonishing victory was not the result of military genius or strategic planning. It came as Joshua and the people were obedient to the will and desires of God. As they were marching, even though they did not know what was going to happen, they knew God was in their midst. Every night, as they returned to Gilgal, they saw the monument of stones and were reminded of the mighty presence of God.

We would do well to remember that wherever we go, we do not go alone. Our Lord goes with us. Remember the truth of those powerful words of Paul to the Roman believers: Since God is for us, who can be against us?"

A few years ago, Pastor Richard Halverson, Chaplain of the United States Senate, wrote these words. Listen to them carefully for they contain a powerful message for you and for me this day.

Walking by faith means walking not by sight. Does this mean that one walks blindly? No more than the pilot of a 747 flies blind when he is being talked into a landing by the control tower. No more than when a pilot believes his instruments rather than the seat of his pants. One of the hard lessons a pilot learns is to trust his instruments when they disagree with his feelings. He is in much greater danger by depending on his feelings than by depending upon his instruments. Ceiling zero - visibility zero - very poor conditions to fly by sight....But the aircraft lands safely when the pilot listens to the word from the control tower and obeys it.

To walk by faith is to heed the Word of God...to read it, to know it, to learn it, to obey it. It isn't those who walk by faith that louse up their lives....Rather, it is those who walk by sight! Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world, he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12)

What a tremendous lesson God was teaching Israel there at Jericho. They were to always walk by faith and not by sight. They were to trust God and not their own senses. What a tremendous lesson we each must learn every day of our lives.

Father, what a great miracle You accomplished there at Jericho. Oh the joys which must have gripped the hearts of the people of Israel as they witnessed the blessings which came because they dared to trust You and not themselves. Lord, my prayer for myself and for each of these Village Line friends for this coming year, is that we might better learn the joys and blessings which come from walking by faith and not by sight. We know that this will please You as well. Thank You for Your patience in teaching us. Amen.

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